Well we have been here in Chikankata for well over two months now and yet it feels like we have experienced so much already. It has truly been a real emotional rollercoaster for us and nothing could have prepared us for the range of experiences that have followed us. We have arrived in the Hospital in the middle of a re-structuring process and I now have a new boss, a consultant, who visits Chikankata two afternoons a week. The rest of the time I am in charge of the hospital and health services, along with a doctor who overseas medical matters. It has been a real baptism of fire. Fortunately I have a good team of people around me, who I rely on heavily. Heidie has now commenced work as a Nurse Tutor in the Nursing School, a move which came as part of the afore-mentioned changes. She is currently teaching Anatomy and Physiology and Nutrition. Starting this week, she is using the other half of her time to work on the pediatric ward. I think she is excited about this but I am worried that we will have children living with us before long!
We continue to enjoy living in Zambia and the entertaining challenges it brings. Most of you will have heard of our wheel experience, whereby we were driving along in one of our vehicles at 70mph and the whole wheel flew off. We looked out the window saw it bouncing about 20ft high in the opposite direction, closely followed by the inner metal plate. Meanwhile sparks were flying everywhere as we drove along on the axle. I eventually managed to bring the vehicle to a halt, before we had to go searching for the missing items about half a mile back up the road. The wee man on his bike who was within inches of being clobbered by the stray tyre kept shouting something at us in Tonga and we’re guessing that it wasn’t “Can I give you a hand to find the tyre and fit it back on your vehicle for you?”. We have also had the real privilege of visiting Livingstone and the Victoria Falls for the first. It was beautiful and we struggle to offer adequate superlatives to describe this “wonder of the world” and the surrounding wildlife. I can proudly say that I have been within 5 foot of a wild African elephant and rhinoceros (the next time I speak to you it will be 2 foot). We have already seen four of the “big five” with only the leopard remaining. We went on this our first jaunt with four medical and nursing students on placement here from the UK. The nursing students are studying at APU in Chelmsford and the Medical students from Belfast. Two of them did a bungee jump from the 120 ft Victoria Falls Bridge. Unfortunately I had hurt my ankle the day before and was unable to join them.
Whilst we are not exactly living “The Good Life” we are now growing our own vegetables and taking advantage of the lovely fruits in our garden. It was truly amazing when Heidie cooked Lemon Chicken she sent me out into the back garden to pick the lemon straight off the tree to make the sauce. Our tomatoes are now beginning to show and we have signs of life on our rejuvenated banana tree. I am, though, having a constant running battle with the goats, stray dogs and chickens that often visit our garden and threaten all the good work being done. I think even they have grasped the meaning of the phrase “Haw you! get oot ma gairden or I’ll waallop you wi’ a stick”. The electricity and water cuts continue aplenty but we feel like we are much more resourceful now, even cooking one meal on an open fire (ok we did only have marshmallows). Just last night we had a complete power black out; the electricity cut and the hospital’s back up generator was not running due to a severe shortage of fuel in Zambia at present. We were in the hospital at 11pm as a premature baby was delivered weighing just 700g. We had no incubator due to the power cuts and along with the midwives were working hard to keep the baby warm, mother calm and sustain visibility. Needless my expert skills in candle holding came in handy, whilst Heidie took a slightly more active role. I don’t think she was best impressed when I kept complaining about getting wax on my hands. Thankfully the baby made it through the night and when Heidie and I returned this morning mother and baby were doing well. It is experiences like this that make it all worthwhile.
The hospital continues to provide us with ongoing trials but at the same time, much joy. There is so much good work going on within the complex and the community. Heidie and I have been fortunate to visit many of the so called “hard to reach areas”, where a six mile trip literally took 45 minutes. We were truly inspired the sense of community and their willingness to develop means to support themselves and their villages. At one village we visited, we arrived just as a cultural ceremony was taken place whereby the women danced around a young girl whilst the men hit their African drums. The girl was completely covered from head to toe and the celebrations marked her body’s changes and her transition from girl to women. Heidie was encouraged to join in the dancing round the girl as I hit the drum. There’s something not many of our friends will have done - it was rather entertaining though.
Unfortunately the hard and important work of the hospital and the community health programmes have been hampered by poor government funding and lack of good financial stewardship. Sad to report that since Dean Pallant left, things have become somewhat rundown. For instance when we visited the baby this morning she was sharing the only working incubator with another baby. We are working hard to address this, ducking and diving as they say, but it will take some time. This week I have secured a left-hand drive Volvo truck from Sweden and funds for our under-5 Mobile Clinic from the US. It is clear that over the last five years the number of international donations has fallen significantly and we need help to raise the profile of what we are doing. We will be starting a number of fundraising activities and a “Friends of Chikankata” scheme so watch this space. We have made some progress on a local level. I have already arranged a football match between the Chikankata All Stars and the Zambian National Broadcasting Corporation, which has been advertised widely on national TV and radio. The following week the Shoprite team from Mazabuka visit Chikankata. I have played some training games and needless to say ‘The Big Man’s” combination of silky skills and lightening pace is as suited to sunshine African exhibition football as it is to Saturday morning Mid-Essex League matches. I think I have already made the no.12 shirt my own!
We are continually thankful for the e-mails and letters we have received, often from the most unexpected sources. We feel very blessed and encouraged that so many people are taking an interest in us. It has been amazing how things have arrived when we have been feeling low or homesick and they have really made such a difference.
We continue to enjoy living in Zambia and the entertaining challenges it brings. Most of you will have heard of our wheel experience, whereby we were driving along in one of our vehicles at 70mph and the whole wheel flew off. We looked out the window saw it bouncing about 20ft high in the opposite direction, closely followed by the inner metal plate. Meanwhile sparks were flying everywhere as we drove along on the axle. I eventually managed to bring the vehicle to a halt, before we had to go searching for the missing items about half a mile back up the road. The wee man on his bike who was within inches of being clobbered by the stray tyre kept shouting something at us in Tonga and we’re guessing that it wasn’t “Can I give you a hand to find the tyre and fit it back on your vehicle for you?”. We have also had the real privilege of visiting Livingstone and the Victoria Falls for the first. It was beautiful and we struggle to offer adequate superlatives to describe this “wonder of the world” and the surrounding wildlife. I can proudly say that I have been within 5 foot of a wild African elephant and rhinoceros (the next time I speak to you it will be 2 foot). We have already seen four of the “big five” with only the leopard remaining. We went on this our first jaunt with four medical and nursing students on placement here from the UK. The nursing students are studying at APU in Chelmsford and the Medical students from Belfast. Two of them did a bungee jump from the 120 ft Victoria Falls Bridge. Unfortunately I had hurt my ankle the day before and was unable to join them.
Whilst we are not exactly living “The Good Life” we are now growing our own vegetables and taking advantage of the lovely fruits in our garden. It was truly amazing when Heidie cooked Lemon Chicken she sent me out into the back garden to pick the lemon straight off the tree to make the sauce. Our tomatoes are now beginning to show and we have signs of life on our rejuvenated banana tree. I am, though, having a constant running battle with the goats, stray dogs and chickens that often visit our garden and threaten all the good work being done. I think even they have grasped the meaning of the phrase “Haw you! get oot ma gairden or I’ll waallop you wi’ a stick”. The electricity and water cuts continue aplenty but we feel like we are much more resourceful now, even cooking one meal on an open fire (ok we did only have marshmallows). Just last night we had a complete power black out; the electricity cut and the hospital’s back up generator was not running due to a severe shortage of fuel in Zambia at present. We were in the hospital at 11pm as a premature baby was delivered weighing just 700g. We had no incubator due to the power cuts and along with the midwives were working hard to keep the baby warm, mother calm and sustain visibility. Needless my expert skills in candle holding came in handy, whilst Heidie took a slightly more active role. I don’t think she was best impressed when I kept complaining about getting wax on my hands. Thankfully the baby made it through the night and when Heidie and I returned this morning mother and baby were doing well. It is experiences like this that make it all worthwhile.
The hospital continues to provide us with ongoing trials but at the same time, much joy. There is so much good work going on within the complex and the community. Heidie and I have been fortunate to visit many of the so called “hard to reach areas”, where a six mile trip literally took 45 minutes. We were truly inspired the sense of community and their willingness to develop means to support themselves and their villages. At one village we visited, we arrived just as a cultural ceremony was taken place whereby the women danced around a young girl whilst the men hit their African drums. The girl was completely covered from head to toe and the celebrations marked her body’s changes and her transition from girl to women. Heidie was encouraged to join in the dancing round the girl as I hit the drum. There’s something not many of our friends will have done - it was rather entertaining though.
Unfortunately the hard and important work of the hospital and the community health programmes have been hampered by poor government funding and lack of good financial stewardship. Sad to report that since Dean Pallant left, things have become somewhat rundown. For instance when we visited the baby this morning she was sharing the only working incubator with another baby. We are working hard to address this, ducking and diving as they say, but it will take some time. This week I have secured a left-hand drive Volvo truck from Sweden and funds for our under-5 Mobile Clinic from the US. It is clear that over the last five years the number of international donations has fallen significantly and we need help to raise the profile of what we are doing. We will be starting a number of fundraising activities and a “Friends of Chikankata” scheme so watch this space. We have made some progress on a local level. I have already arranged a football match between the Chikankata All Stars and the Zambian National Broadcasting Corporation, which has been advertised widely on national TV and radio. The following week the Shoprite team from Mazabuka visit Chikankata. I have played some training games and needless to say ‘The Big Man’s” combination of silky skills and lightening pace is as suited to sunshine African exhibition football as it is to Saturday morning Mid-Essex League matches. I think I have already made the no.12 shirt my own!
We are continually thankful for the e-mails and letters we have received, often from the most unexpected sources. We feel very blessed and encouraged that so many people are taking an interest in us. It has been amazing how things have arrived when we have been feeling low or homesick and they have really made such a difference.
posted by Charlie Chikankata at 9:44 pm
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